Oregon Arts Funding Alert

Last week 138 messages went out to legislators in support of funding for arts and culture in the Oregon Legislature. But we still have work to do, because at last check, 33 legislators did not receive any messages from their constituents. This includes the Speaker of the House! So, we need your help. The revenue forecast (this is the estimate legislators will use to balance the state budget) is released at 8:30AM tomorrow (5/16) –which means legislators need to hear from you right away!

As of today (5/15), budget-writers have slated the relatively small budget of the Oregon Arts Commission for cuts of up to 12%, which could result in reduced funding in grants for arts organizations–of up to 30 percent. Proposals at the federal level to eliminate funding for cultural agencies in FY18 could result in crippling shortfalls in state funding and direct grants to arts, public broadcasting and the humanities. The potential adoption of these proposals, and the proposed cuts at the state level, places arts and culture in Oregon at grave risk.

If you have already contacted your legislators through another email address–thank you!

If not, please use the link below to send a message to your legislators immediately to ask that legislators work together to protect Oregon culture. If you know your legislator personally don’t click a link to send a standard message–take a moment to make a personal call to the legislator’s office to thank them for their hard work this session, and request that arts funding to be restored.